The Mercer Island boys golf team won the 3A KingCo medalist tournament on Oct. 15 at Snohomish Golf Course with a team score of 381 strokes, nine ahead of second place Skyline. The win comes just a week removed from the program’s second regular season championship in as many years.
Monday, the Islanders qualified four players and one alternate for state next spring, as Mercer Island placed second overall during the district meet at Riverbend Golf Course in Kent.
“This was our third year in a row winning [the KingCo medalist tournament],” said Mercer Island boys golf coach Tyson Peters, who took home coach of the year honors for the third consecuitve season. “We are happy. It is rare to take four or five kids to state.”
Islander senior Paul Mitzel led all players during the 3A KingCo tournament by completing the 18-hole course in 71 strokes, one under par. During districts he placed in the top five, as he shot 71 again.
“Although he won KingCo, he didn’t play all that well,” said Peters. “He is just one of those guys that gets the job done.”
Teammate senior Daniel Kern finished just three strokes off of Mitzel’s pace with a two-over 74 at KingCo. The score was good enough to tie for fourth place overall. Kern then moved on to shoot a 74 at districts and earn a spot at state.
Four players tied for sixth during the KingCo tournament, including Mercer Island senior Brian Tolkin, who completed the course in 76 strokes. But Tolkin’s 72 during the district meet placed him in the top 10 and earned him a tee time next spring.
Islander Kyle Code narrowly advanced to districts with a score of 81 during the KingCo tournament, but took his game to the next level by shooting a 74 at districts to advance to state.
Matt Condon played some of his best golf of the year during the KingCo tournament by shooting a 79.
Condon’s score improved at districts, shooting a 76 through 18 holes, but the cut was set at 76, forcing the Mercer Island senior into a playoff where he narrowly won an alternate spot at the state meet next spring.
Freshman Charlie Kern was the only postseason Islander player to not make the district cut during KingCo. Kern finished the tournament with a score of 82, one stroke off the cut for districts.
KingCo and Metro are at a distinct disadvantage when it comes to the state meet. Most all other high school teams play their regular season during the spring, but the two districts play during fall and have to wait nearly six months to play for the state title.
“It is brutal and totally unneeded,” said Peters. “It is something I went through 15 or 20 years ago, and you would think they would get it fixed. But I am proud of our team, and we will do well.”
